Civil society and the state in making a wartime history History of Japanese women repatriated from Manchuria

This chapter contributes another insightful argument regarding the role of civil society in Japanese history: it explores the mechanisms of history-making processes in which civil society plays a significant role. Since August 1945, more than three million Japanese civilians have returned to Japan from formerly colonized/occupied areas of Imperial Japan, especially Manchuria. As citizens of a defeated nation, they faced numerous hardships during repatriation, and many women were exposed to harsh sexual violence. This chapter analyzes those aspects that have been overshadowed in this version of history and argues for the necessity of capturing Japanese citizens through a perspective that encompasses both the expansion and collapse of Japan’s imperialism in the process of comprehending war-related history in Japan.